Rapid cholera outbreak control following catastrophic landslides and floods: A case study of Bududa district, Uganda.

Background: In June 2019, landslides and floods in Bududa district, eastern Uganda, claimed lives and led to a cholera outbreak. The affected communities had inadequate access to clean water and sanitation.

Objective: To share the experience of controlling a cholera outbreak in Bududa district, after landslides and floods.

Sudan virus disease super-spreading, Uganda, 2022.

Background: On 20 September 2022, Uganda declared its fifth Sudan virus disease (SVD) outbreak, culminating in 142 confirmed and 22 probable cases. The reproductive rate (R) of this outbreak was 1.25.

Factors associated with retention of mother-baby pairs in the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV program in Kaberamaido district: A longitudinal analysis.

Background: Retention along the elimination of Mother to Child Transmission (eMTCT) cascade in Uganda remains poor as only 62.7%-69.5% are followed up to 18months.

Cholera epidemic amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in Moroto district, Uganda: Hurdles and opportunities for control.

Introduction: On 21st March 2020, the first COVID-19 case was detected in Uganda and a COVID-19 pandemic declared. On the same date, a nationwide lockdown was instituted in response to the pandemic. Subsequently, more cases were detected amongst the returning international travelers as the disease continued to spread across the country.

Building National Health Security Through a Rapid Self-Assessment and Annual Operational Plan in Uganda, May to September 2021.

Uganda established a National Action Plan for Health Security in 2019, following a Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of International Health Regulations (2005) capacities in 2017. The action plan enhanced national health security awareness, but implementation efforts were affected by limited funding, excess of activities, and challenges related to monitoring and evaluation. To improve implementation, Uganda conducted a multisectoral health security self-assessment in 2021 using the second edition of the JEE tool and developed a 1-year operational plan.

Characteristics, treatment outcomes and experiences of COVID-19 patients under home-based care in Kapelebyong district in Uganda: a mixed-methods study.

Background: A rapid increase in community transmission of COVID-19 across the country overwhelmed Uganda's health care system. In response, the Ministry of Health adopted the home-based care strategy for COVID-19 patients with mild-to-moderate disease. We determined the characteristics, treatment outcomes and experiences of COVID-19 patients under home-based care during the second wave in Kapelebyong district, in eastern Uganda.

Side-Effects following Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine in Tororo District, Eastern Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Effective, safe and proven vaccines would be the most effective strategy against the COVID-19 pandemic but have faced rollout challenges partly due to fear of potential side-effects. We assessed the prevalence, profiles, and predictors of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine side-effects in Tororo district of Eastern Uganda. We conducted telephone interviews with 2204 participants between October 2021 and January 2022.

Interactions between climate and COVID-19.

In this Personal View, we explain the ways that climatic risks affect the transmission, perception, response, and lived experience of COVID-19. First, temperature, wind, and humidity influence the transmission of COVID-19 in ways not fully understood, although non-climatic factors appear more important than climatic factors in explaining disease transmission. Second, climatic extremes coinciding with COVID-19 have affected disease exposure, increased susceptibility of people to COVID-19, compromised emergency responses, and reduced health system resilience to multiple stresses.

Intention to vaccinate against COVID-19 and adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions against COVID-19 prior to the second wave of the pandemic in Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: The resurgence in cases and deaths due to COVID-19 in many countries suggests complacency in adhering to COVID-19 preventive guidelines. Vaccination, therefore, remains a key intervention in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the level of adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures and intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine among Ugandans.

Availability of the core components of the World Health Organization infection prevention and control strategies in health facilities in Southwestern Uganda: Implications for control of COVID-19.

Background: Infection prevention and control (IPC) practices are required to prevent nosocomial infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. In low- and middle-income countries, where resources are often limited, IPC practices are infrequently assessed.

Aim: To assess the availability of the core components of World Health Organization (WHO) IPC practices at health facilities in Southwestern Uganda.

Uganda's experience in Ebola virus disease outbreak preparedness, 2018-2019.

Background: Since the declaration of the 10th Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in DRC on 1st Aug 2018, several neighboring countries have been developing and implementing preparedness efforts to prevent EVD cross-border transmission to enable timely detection, investigation, and response in the event of a confirmed EVD outbreak in the country. We describe Uganda's experience in EVD preparedness.

Results: On 4 August 2018, the Uganda Ministry of Health (MoH) activated the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) and the National Task Force (NTF) for public health emergencies to plan, guide, and coordinate EVD preparedness in the country.

Evaluation of Infection Prevention and Control Readiness at Frontline Health Care Facilities in High-Risk Districts Bordering Ebola Virus Disease-Affected Areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Uganda, 2018.

Infection prevention and control (IPC) in health care facilities is essential to protecting patients, visitors, and health care personnel from the spread of infectious diseases, including Ebola virus disease (Ebola). Patients with suspected Ebola are typically referred to specialized Ebola treatment units (ETUs), which have strict isolation and IPC protocols, for testing and treatment (1,2). However, in settings where contact tracing is inadequate, Ebola patients might first seek care at general health care facilities, which often have insufficient IPC capacity (3-6).

Managing Ebola from rural to urban slum settings: experiences from Uganda.

Background: Five outbreaks of ebola occurred in Uganda between 2000-2012. The outbreaks were quickly contained in rural areas. However, the Gulu outbreak in 2000 was the largest and complex due to insurgency.

Low isoniazid and rifampicin concentrations in TB/HIV co-infected patients in Uganda.

Introduction: There is limited data available on exposure to anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs in this region. Peloquin has described reference ranges [1] however some studies have demonstrated that patients actually achieve concentrations below these ranges [2]. There is limited data about exposure to anti-TB drugs in the HIV/TB co-infected population in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Proportion of deaths and clinical features in Bundibugyo Ebola virus infection, Uganda.

The first known Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) outbreak caused by Bundibugyo Ebola virus occurred in Bundibugyo District, Uganda, in 2007. Fifty-six cases of EHF were laboratory confirmed. Although signs and symptoms were largely nonspecific and similar to those of EHF outbreaks caused by Zaire and Sudan Ebola viruses, proportion of deaths among those infected was lower (≈40%).

Ebola hemorrhagic fever associated with novel virus strain, Uganda, 2007-2008.

During August 2007-February 2008, the novel Bundibugyo ebolavirus species was identified during an outbreak of Ebola viral hemorrhagic fever in Bundibugyo district, western Uganda. To characterize the outbreak as a requisite for determining response, we instituted a case-series investigation. We identified 192 suspected cases, of which 42 (22%) were laboratory positive for the novel species; 74 (38%) were probable, and 77 (40%) were negative.

Schistosomiasis among recreational users of Upper Nile River, Uganda, 2007.

After recreational exposure to river water in Uganda, 12 (17%) of 69 persons had evidence of schistosome infection. Eighteen percent self-medicated with praziquantel prophylaxis immediately after exposure, which was not appropriate. Travelers to schistosomiasis-endemic areas should consult a travel medicine physician.

Evidence of person-to-person transmission of hepatitis E virus during a large outbreak in Northern Uganda.

Background: Outbreaks of infection with hepatitis E virus (HEV) are frequently attributed to contaminated drinking water, even if direct evidence for this is lacking.

Methods: We conducted several epidemiologic investigations during a large HEV infection outbreak in Uganda.

Results: Of 10,535 residents, 3218 had HEV infection; of these, 2531 lived in households with >1 case.

Hepatitis E epidemic, Uganda.

In October 2007, an epidemic of hepatitis E was suspected in Kitgum District of northern Uganda where no previous epidemics had been documented. This outbreak has progressed to become one of the largest hepatitis E outbreaks in the world. By June 2009, the epidemic had caused illness in >10,196 persons and 160 deaths.

Newly discovered ebola virus associated with hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Uganda.

Over the past 30 years, Zaire and Sudan ebolaviruses have been responsible for large hemorrhagic fever (HF) outbreaks with case fatalities ranging from 53% to 90%, while a third species, Côte d'Ivoire ebolavirus, caused a single non-fatal HF case. In November 2007, HF cases were reported in Bundibugyo District, Western Uganda. Laboratory investigation of the initial 29 suspect-case blood specimens by classic methods (antigen capture, IgM and IgG ELISA) and a recently developed random-primed pyrosequencing approach quickly identified this to be an Ebola HF outbreak associated with a newly discovered ebolavirus species (Bundibugyo ebolavirus) distantly related to the Côte d'Ivoire ebolavirus found in western Africa.